In a letter to customers Maersk line announced its tentative planning to launch a new direct service under the new P3 cooperation agreement network.
The P3 east-west service network initiative to be implemented by Maersk, CMA CGM and MSC.
in 2Q 2014. The P3 network will be based on existing capacities of each member, and initially operate 255 vessels providing a capacity of 2.6 million TEU in 29 loops. Maersk Line will contribute 42% of the capacity, followed by MSC with 34%, and CMA CGM with 24%. Vessels provided by the lines will continue to be owned and chartered.
The new service, under the name of TP12, will offer direct connections of both Asia and North America continents, with super-fast transit times, and unprecedented reliability levels.
The planned port rotations will be Shanghai, Xiamen, Chiwan, Yantian, Singapore, Salalah, Haifa, Newark, Baltimore, Norfolk, Savanna, Freeport, Haifa, Salalah, Colombo, Singapore, Shanghai.
The lines noted that the new TP12 will also have superior connections to the extensive Maersk Line network, resulting in improved transit times to almost all locations on the globe.
The line also noted that the new service to be offered by the P3 cooperation agreement, will be implemented subject to receiving the regulatory approvals and assurances that are deemed necessary.
The letter made it clear that "We are still in early staged of planning the service, which is expected to be launched during quarter 2 2014. Until then, we continue maintain our current services as they are today. We’re confident that this partnership will provide all our customers with greater network stability, frequency of port calls and port coverage."
